Omaha daily bee., 1887-09-13
In the Commons.

lam Vernon HarcOurt, liberal, called atten-
tOn to tile general policy Of the government
In Ireland especially to the invasion Of the
right Of the people respecting the holding of
public meetings. He demanded that the
house be informed OF the nature of the in
structions given the police in Ireland regard
ing the line of action they are to pursue in
respect to public meetings. Also whether
the report is true that General Sir Redvers
Butler has resigned the post of under secre-
tary for Ireland and what were the reasons
for his resignation. He claimed that the
Irish people possessed in common with
the English the right to meet to
denounce the action OF the legisla-
tive branch of the government
and declared that the attempts to prevent the
holding of such meetings violated common
law and constitution, and were fragrant
breach and denial of the fundamental princ-
Piles of both, and wholly incompatible with
the existence of the free government, Of the
rights of q free people, Some tory journals
had suggested that the machine guns ought
to be used against the Irish people. (Cries of
"what paperYo THE st. James Gazette" an
swered the speaker, adding, "a typical tory
organ" "The most detestabe and scandalous
language has been used by the Times" Sir
w
causing the Irish to revolt-language such as
never before degraded the press of free
country. If the advice of the uniOnist papers
had been followed, what between machine
very few Irish people would be left"
lie was confident. he said. that
the Irish people would persist
In the prudence and camness they had al
English it was the right to prohibit meet
ing which the government was now tramp
ling upon. Let the government try the
experiment Of their new doctrine upon the
England was with the Irish in vindicating
the right of public meeting and would sup
port them until justice was done. Meetings
Ireland Parnellite cheers). If there vas
one lesson IN the history Of politics taught
more than another it was that
cause which could not bear open
fseuss The dread % Of pSSc @ meetin:ss
would seal the doom of their Irish policy,
Balfour, chief secretary for ireland, an
nounced that a telegram had been
states l"sS That s i've moonishters a'Sps.sa @ere
captured. Constable Wheelan was killed
and three others seriously hurt A number
munition were captured. The five men cap
tured were arrested inside the house OF Far
mer Sexton. Two more were identified to-
day. Farmer Sexton, whom the gang meant
and censured and he had promised to surren-
der his farm, but did not do so. The gang
thereupon entered his house, where the po-
lice lay in ambush and surprised them.
BalfOur, replying to Harcourt, said the in
structons the police were row acting under
were the same they received when Sir Will
ham was a member of the Gladstone govern
ment (Cheers). With regard to General
Butler, Balfour said he resigned med nov simply
to the war Office. Referring to Sir
Williams contention that suppression of
public meetings was illegal. Baltour said he
did not know at what period Sir William lost
his knowledge Of law, but 1t was matter of
history under the common law Of Ireland.
Sir William himself acted with Gladstone
and FOrsber In ,proclaiming l3O meetings. 1t
free discussion: They We're heraided BY BY
placards Of an inaammatory nature. Obvi-
ously their object was to defeat the laws ana
foster outrages and intimidation. Regarding
the Mitchellstown affair, Balfour said It
had been clearly escertained that the action
of the police was In the face Of extreme prov
ocation. The sole responsibility rested upon
those who convOked the meeting. Cheers
Sir William had on his lips the words liberty
he and his friends used In the Irish contest
were obstruction In parliament and resist
,ance to law, outside violence and intimida-
ton worse than violence. The governmen!
firm administration OF the law and a de-
termination to do their utmost to do away
with the evils which were forming disconten,
would bring to Ireland united people. Un'
dismayed by criticism and with courage un'
shaken, they would persevere In the course
that must end In the conciliation of Ireland.
cloud cheers.)
to see all that occurred at Michelstown
STRINGENT orders were given to the people b,
the leaders to avoid disturbance. There wa:
no objection to the presence OF the govern
ment reporter, but the police could not force
tRey Were 'T dTSen SSeb baeE As rheS SsS"o tsef S
advanced to assault the crowd, the
atfray being begun by constable draw
Ing his sword and wounding a horse
more than fifty people lighting, the police
There were women and children in thu
crowd and the men had q perfect right to re
was 40 danger of any. Of them being attacked
either inside or outside the barracks. Th,
police behaved like wild beasts, batterinl
people about without mercy. The chic
break up the meeting. Labouchere held tn,
chief constable and resident magistrate re
spopsible for what had occurred and he ac
cused them OF deliberate murder. (Cheersl
He said it was natural that the debate shoul,
be mainly directed to the Milchelstown out
rage. but Sir William Vernon Harcourt ha
performed public service in drawing atten
tion to the Ennis meeting. Baltour had de
clarrd that the government would persever
In their endeavor To tranqnilize Ireland by
firm administration of law aud by the re
moval-not OF grievances--there were non
(laughter)
Balfour here interposed "injustlce". wa
my word.
Gladstone said he was much obliged. IL
saw no differences, but II was best to be Yer
bally correct Resuming, Gladstone pre-
tcstsd against Balfour's statement the he eI
pected only hostility from the opposition
Whenever anything beneficial to Ireland wa
proposed the opposition hailed it with plea
ure and did everything possible to further
despite the. unwise policy {
destroy. social order. The oppositio
had enjOined upon the Irish people strit
obedience to the law aud their advice wa
more effective in procuring obedience tina
ell the governments coercian and copstabl
RalfOVy met Sir William Vernon Hayc0urt